Structured Operational Research Training of the European Tuberculosis Rsearch Initiative: workshops 1 and 2 of 4

WHO

1–12 October 2018, Copenhagen, Denmark

The European Tuberculosis Research Initiative (ERI-TB) was launched on 16 November 2016 at WHO/Europe to eliminate evidence gaps and advance TB research in the Region towards the implementation of the TB action plan for the WHO European Region 2016–2020.

The ERI-TB Secretariat at WHO/Europe developed a TB research agenda for the Region by considering core regional technical expertise and conducting public consultation with civil society as well as national and regional counterparts.

In June 2018, ERI-TB launched the first ERI-TB course on structured operational research based on continued collaboration with the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR). Aiming to build research capacity in countries of eastern Europe and central Asia, it:

supports priority researches implementation in the Region;

operates within the framework of WHO’s bilateral collaborative agreements with Member States; and

supports national counterparts to adapt country TB policies by translating research into action.

The course comprises 4 workshops, each of which focuses on a particular theme:

study design (1–5 October 2018);

data capture and analysis (7–12 October 2018);

manuscript writing (4–8 March 2019); and

research communication and transformation into practice (15 May 2019).

A group of 12 selected participants are enrolled in the first iteration of the SORT ERI-TB course. Principal instructors will be supported by established research groups consisting of senior mentors, a junior facilitator and a WHO co-mentor.

WHO/Europe’s work on TB in selected priority countries in eastern Europe is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the regional platform to end TB in eastern Europe.